CrossCountry to run full train service after power outage causes major disruption

CrossCountry said it anticipates running a full timetable on Monday after a power failure at its operational centre prompted the cancellation of nearly all UK services on Sunday. The outage, centred in Birmingham, disrupted travel from Glasgow to Penzance. Key corridors between Birmingham and Manchester—via Stoke‑on‑Trent, Coventry and Wolverhampton—were heavily affected, as were routes linking Leeds to York and Cheltenham to Cardiff. On Monday morning the operator acknowledged a limited number of cancellations, attributing them to late‑departing trains and staff shortages. Passengers were urged to verify their journeys before travel. CrossCountry thanked travellers for their patience and confirmed that tickets bought for Sunday services remain valid for travel on its network up to and including Wednesday. Sunday evening saw a modest restoration of service, with an hourly train reinstated between Birmingham New Street and Leicester and Derby. Personal accounts highlighted the impact. Andy Burton of Worcester, returning from Cromford after celebrating his sister’s birthday, reached Derby only to learn his planned detour via Leicester had also been scrapped. > “It was only when I had arrived at Derby that a member of staff told me my planned alternate route via Leicester had also been cancelled, because it was part of the CrossCountry disruption,” he said. > > “I soon realised I was stranded, as they said there was no alternate train route back to Worcester.” > > “It’s not the best end to a great weekend away.” Reese Proctor, aiming to reach Manchester’s Etihad Stadium for a 14:00 BST kick‑off against Bournemouth, called the cancellations “frustrating and unacceptable.” After abandoning a Reading‑Manchester train plan, he drove more than 100 miles to a friend’s house in Leicester before continuing to the stadium. The 22‑year‑old told BBC Newsbeat the detour added two hours to his trip, leaving him “fuming.” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was “concerned” by the episode. > “We are setting up Great British Railways and nationalising services, including CrossCountry next year, to end decades of fragmentation and vulnerability on our network. We are determined to give passengers the reliability they deserve.” The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) urged a review of railway power centres to safeguard them from future outages. > “to ensure they remain unaffected by power outages.” RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey warned that passengers and rail staff should not endure another week of “travel chaos” due to unreliable backup systems. In June, CrossCountry was ranked Britain’s worst train operator.